The present invention relates to the field of joining and assembly of profiled bars and it concerns more specifically the field of profiled bars with a polygonal transverse straight section comprising, on at least one of their longitudinal faces, an open T-shaped groove.
The existence of profiled bars of circular or polygonal cross section which are produced from numerous different materials and which are intended to allow the construction and erection of various structures which may range from scaffolding or the like to load-bearing frameworks of a temporary or permanent nature, right up to frames of machines with a modular or otherwise nature, has been known for some time.
Although such profiled bars without doubt have advantages of mechanical strength, relatively low economic cost, and ease of adaption, particularly by cutting to the desired length, the assembly methods known up until now are not satisfactory with respect to several points.
As a general rule, it is proposed to have recourse to sorts of yokes made up of assembly half shells which are designed to clamp two bars which are to be assembled, in order to form a joining node with the latter.
Such yokes are not esthetically convenient, technically adapted to all the assembly modes and, consequently, cannot be implemented in all applications, particularly when butt assemblies and/or assemblies in a single plane are to be provided.
Another drawback which should be taken into consideration with such structures having half-shells clamping the bars, stems from the fact that their shape, enveloping the bars, gives the assembly node produced a bulk in three dimension, which most often is a significant drawback, when it is suitable to define, using the bars, strict planes serving for example as fixing beds for various appliances or for the construction of functional modules.
Another known drawback of these joining means rests in the impossibility of making up so-called positive fixing joints practically, effectively and securely, so as to be able to oppose any risk of relative sliding of one bar with respect to the other.
Simpler means for joining bars have certainly also been proposed, providing long and costly machining operations between the faces to be joined, making it possible to insert means for fixing using a collar, screw, tie rod, etc.
Such means suffer from all the preceding drawbacks and cannot be considered as offering a quick, safe, and effective capability for assembly. Such means moreover pose practical problems when assembly must take place on a site where back-up energy, such as electricity, is missing for supplying the machining appliances.
The object of the invention is to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks by proposing a joining and assembly block which is unique for various modes of joining likely to arise between profiled bars, such as for example a butt joint, a joint in two parallel planes, or a joint in one plane.
The subject of the invention is designed also to allow assembly nodes to be made up starting from a number of bars greater than two or even from bars whose transverse straight section represents an integer multiple of one constructive base module.
Another object of the invention is to propose a joining block which requires no machining beforehand either on itself or on the bars to be assembled, then making it possible to produce a quick, effective, positive join without the addition of energy, simply by interlocking and screwing operations.
Another object of the invention is to propose a joining and assembly block which can be manufactured easily by molding, for example as a shell, without requiring significant operations of secondary machining.
An additional object of the invention is to propose a joining and assembly block which can be inscribed inside the profile of the bars to be assembled, so as to allow joining nodes to be obtained which have the same bulk as the transverse straight section of the bars and additionally offering an esthetic nature which, although it is not fundamental for the technical features of the joint and of the assembly produced, nevertheless allows the construction and the erection of flat and pure lines, likely to offer plane faces, capable particularly of constituting support beds for the construction of sets of machines or of installations with a modular or non-modular nature.
An additional advantage attached to the joining and assembly block according to the invention stems from the fact that its implementation and its adaptation may be produced rapidly by personnel who are not necessarily highly qualified, which makes it possible to reduce the overall cost of creating, producing, and constructing a structure based on profiled bars.
In order to reach the above-defined objectives, the joining and assembly block for profiled bars of the type comprising a polygonal cross section, at least one axial passage and at least one T-shaped groove which is open on at least one longitudinal face, is characterized in that it consists of a solid body:
having, in plan view, the same shape as the polygonal cross section of the bars, PA1 defined by two lateral faces, each one provided with at least one projection whose width is equal, to within the penetration clearance, to the width of the open groove on the longitudinal face of a bar, PA1 including, starting from a lateral face, at least one counterbore extended by an opening out bore reserved for mounting a self-tapping screw with a head capable of penetrating into a corresponding passage of a bar, PA1 having orthogonal series of through holes reserved for mounting clamping and fixing screws, PA1 and having, on at least one of the faces and for the holes of one same series, hollowed cutouts, opening to the perimeter of the body and giving access to the clamping and fixing screws corresponding to the said holes.
The subject of the invention is also an assembly of profiled bars produced by means of at least one block of the above-mentioned type.